rivalis et amicus
by Jay Petrakis
Summary: PokéGlee!AU in which Sebastian ventures on a Pokémon Adventure as a teenager. Set in the Kalos and Kanto regions of the Pokémon Universe. Sebastian Smythe never fit in with his peers after he moved to Viridian City, but he manages to make do with a new rival and possibly friend when he starts off on his own adventure. Seblaine Week 2017 - Day 5: Free Day


Sebastian was a city kid at heart. He may have been born into a small town but he grew up and spent most of his childhood years in the heart of bustling Lumiose City. He was attracted to the sounds of zooming cars and nightlife that didn't seem to fade no matter how late it got. Sometimes he would gaze out his bedroom window with eyes full of wonder at the glistening Prism Tower before his bedtime and his father would make promises to take him to Centrico Plaza one night to see the tower all lit, up close. Unfortunately that day never came as Sebastian's father was always "too busy with his work" to take the night off for his only son.

Still, Sebastian enjoyed going out with his mother during the day to pass by the cafés and boutiques, wondering to himself if maybe when he was older, he would venture into these shops on his own.

When his father was absent for his eleventh birthday, he eavesdropped from behind his bedroom door as his mother yelled into the phone. He didn't understand at the time why his mother became so distressed or upset whenever it came to his father; he was barely home as it were so missing his birthday wasn't that big of a deal. Sebastian immediately went to his mother when she got off the phone and clutched at her dress as he hugged her, feeling in his heart that she needed a hug even though he didn't know exactly why.

"Oh, my little big boy," his mother would say to him as she ran her fingers through his auburn locks. Sebastian looked up at her with his big green eyes and his brow furrowed at the sight of tears rolling down her cheeks. Why did his father make her cry? He didn't understand why his father didn't just stay home to make his mother happy.

His father had made an attempt to abide his guilt for always being absent by sending his family more money than they ever needed. Sebastian, who only had feelings of contempt for his father at this point, took full advantage of this and lived the luxurious lifestyle he'd always wanted. This went on for two years when his mother announced they were moving back to Viridian City- without Sebastian's father. For Sebastian, Lumiose City was his home; he had gotten accustomed to spending his days drinking Roserade Tea at cafés and buying stylish clothes at the high-end boutiques.

Soon to be fourteen, Sebastian understood what a divorce was and why his parents were getting one. He knew his father just wasn't cut out to be a family man and frankly, they didn't need him. He had his mother and she had him- that was all they needed. They moved back to his mother's hometown of Viridian where Sebastian met his grandmother and aunt. He genuinely liked them even though they seemed like simple town folk. Though Viridian was technically a city, it felt more like a small town. No longer did Sebastian have boutiques and cafes to visit but instead a dinky little corner general store run solely by a friendly old man who knew all the city's residents by name.

Sebastian felt claustrophobic in such a small town. He didn't get along with the dozen other kids in his class nor did he find their type of fun amusing in the least bit. He could walk the city in its entirety in a single day and there wasn't much of anything to do.

Now when he looked out of his bedroom window before he went to bed, he saw the dense forest illuminated by only the moon. There were no lights. No hustle and bustle nor city sounds.

Just quiet.

Within a few weeks of living in Viridian City, Sebastian proposed to his mother on going on a Pokémon journey. It was standard for children to do so and Sebastian didn't see why he would be any exception. He wanted to get out and explore the world- maybe discover another city full of lights and people. Sebastian was elated when his mother agreed and together the two traveled to the next town over. After a brief introduction into the world of Pokémon, Sebastian was given the choice to pick his very first one.

Sebastian entered the large gated-off space filled with Pokémon, all barely standing at about a foot or two tall. Though most of the Pokémon were small and never had any experience battling, many were eager to find their person and start an adventure.

"You came at quite a time," the Pokémon professor said as he looked out at all the Pokémon playing with one another. "There's another boy your age who's also starting his own journey today."

Looking out at the far side of the room, there was a boy making friends with a petite Growlithe. The boy was dressed in corduroys and a button-up, his bow tie completing his schoolboy look. Sebastian didn't know what to make of the boy but every good Pokémon trainer needed a rival- maybe this boy could be that for him.

After meeting a handful of Pokémon, Sebastian found himself with the difficult position of having to choose who exactly would be joining him on his adventure. He wished he could take all of them with him but the rules stated he could only have one. If he wanted more, he would have to catch them like a proper Pokémon trainer.

Then a Pokémon caught his attention- one that hadn't until that moment. In the corner of the room, lounging in one of the many beds was a lone Treecko. It must've noticed Sebastian staring before when they made eye contact, its thick tail twitched with interest though it made no move to get closer. Sebastian was immediately drawn to the bipedal reptile, interested as to why it wasn't as eager as the others to meet with aspiring trainers.

Sebastian grinned and approached Treecko, introducing himself. Though Pokémon were subservient to humans, Sebastian knew treating these creatures with respect was a surefire way to gain their loyalty. He crouched down to speak to the monster, hands on his knees. "Want to go on an adventure with me?"

Treecko crossed his arms in front of its chest and almost seemed to smirk, a glint in its yellow eyes before it nodded and gave Sebastian a thumbs-up.

"Did you find your partner?" A boy's voice from behind Sebastian startled him and he stood up to face the boy in the bow tie. Before he could properly answer, the boy continued talking. "I chose Growlithe here- or, well, I guess he chose me."

Sebastian looked at the orange puppy Pokémon and smiled back at the boy. The little guy was actually kind of cute- his Pokémon, too. "Yeah, Treecko will do really well. I'm hoping to catch a bunch of rare Pokémon in the forest and that's its natural habitat; I'm already at an advantage for gaining a strong team."

"Do you want to battle? I mean, we're both beginners so it'd be an even playing field." The boy suggested and suddenly it seemed like there was a fire in his eyes that wasn't there a moment ago.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, killer, but I've done my share of studying. This is not an 'even playing field'." Sebastian smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, Treecko copying its new master and doing the same. "I'll take you on if you're prepared to go to the Pokémon Center after we're through. Your Growlithe's gonna need some bandages when we're done with you."

The boy almost looked amused by Sebastian's bravado. "Big talk from the guy who has a type disadvantage." He chuckled and his Growlithe seemed determined to win.

"Alright, alright, youngsters," the professor waved his hands to rid some of the heated tension between the two. There was an unmistakable rivalry sparking between the two and they hadn't even battled yet. "Battling is all fine and dandy but I'd prefer it if you did so outside. And _after_ I give you your Poké Balls and Pokédexes."

Once all of the formalities were out of the way and the two boys had everything they needed to start their Pokémon adventures, they met outside with their new Pokémon friends. Sebastian watched as the boy held his Growlithe's Poké Ball tightly, as if starting this journey was the best thing to ever happen to him. Maybe he would cross paths with him again in the future.

Just as Sebastian was about to leave, the boy spoke up and caused the other to stop in his tracks. "Hey! What's your name? I'm Blaine."

Sebastian grinned to himself before he answered. "Sebastian."

"Sebastian," Blaine repeated, a smile curling on his lips. "Do you still want to battle?"


End file.
